Chapter 5: Structure and Function of Large Biological Molecules - Review

Polymer

A large molecule composed of many repeated subunits (monomers).

Dehydration Reaction

A chemical reaction in which two molecules combine to form a larger molecule, with the loss of a water molecule.

Hydrolysis

A chemical reaction that involves the breaking of a bond in a molecule using water.

Carbohydrate

Organic compounds made of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, typically in a ratio of 1:2:1, serving as energy sources.

Glycosidic Linkage

The bond formed between two monosaccharides during a dehydration reaction.

Starch

A polysaccharide used by plants for energy storage, composed of glucose monomers.

Cellulose

A polysaccharide that serves as a structural component of plant cell walls, made up of glucose units.

Lipid

A diverse group of hydrophobic molecules that serve as energy storage, structural components, and signaling molecules.

Fatty Acid

A long hydrocarbon chain with a carboxyl group at one end, making it hydrophobic.

Ester Linkage

The bond formed between a fatty acid and glycerol in a lipid.

Triacylglycerol

A type of lipid, also known as triglycerides, composed of three fatty acids linked to glycerol.

Saturated Fatty Acid

A fatty acid with no double bonds between carbon atoms, leading to a straight structure.

Unsaturated Fatty Acid

A fatty acid containing one or more double bonds, causing bends in the hydrocarbon chain.

Protein

A large biomolecule made up of one or more long chains of amino acids, essential for various biological functions.

Polypeptide

A chain of amino acids linked together by peptide bonds.

Amino Acid

The monomer units that make up proteins, containing an amino group, a carboxyl group, and a variable R group.

Peptide Bond

The covalent bond formed between the amino group of one amino acid and the carboxyl group of another.

Nucleic Acid

Biomacromolecules that store and transmit genetic information, including DNA and RNA.

Nucleotides

The monomer subunits of nucleic acids, consisting of a phosphate group, a sugar, and a nitrogenous base.

Phosphodiester Linkage

The bond formed between the phosphate group of one nucleotide and the hydroxyl group of the sugar of another.